CAS Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

What "Exam Dates" Actually Means for the CAS

If you searched for "CAS exam dates 2026" expecting a calendar of fixed testing windows, the first thing to understand is that the Certified Annuity Specialist does not work that way. It is an education-and-assessment program published by the Institute of Business & Finance (IBF), and it is built around enrollment and a completion period rather than a national exam calendar with registration deadlines.

That distinction matters because several unrelated credentials share the "CAS" acronym, and some of them do run fixed seasonal sittings. The Certified Annuity Specialist is not one of those. If you are still sorting out which credential is which, our overview What Is CAS Certification? and the explainer What Does CAS Stand For? separate them cleanly.

Two Proctored Exams Plus a Case Study

The current CAS assessment structure has three pieces: two online proctored exams, one for each curriculum module, plus a written case study. Because these are separate deliverables, "the exam date" is really a set of scheduling decisions you make across your enrollment window.

Question counts, per-exam duration, item format, and numeric passing cutoffs are not publicly verified in the sources we reviewed, so we will not quote them here. For what is and is not known about scoring, see CAS Passing Score 2026, and for how the program has been described in terms of rigor, see How Hard Is the CAS Exam?

Enrollment, Eligibility, and the 12-Month Clock

Because there is no fixed national window, your personal "dates" start when you enroll. Two facts anchor your timeline:

• Eligibility: a bachelor's degree or one year of financial-services experience. If you meet either, you can enroll. Details are in CAS Requirements 2026.
• Completion period: the program describes a 12-month completion period. Treat this as your effective deadline for finishing both exams and the case study.

The practical implication: you control the pace. A professional with annuity experience may compress the work into a few focused weeks, while someone new to the product category may use most of the year. Whichever applies, pick your target dates backward from the 12-month limit and leave margin for any rescheduling.

Proctoring Logistics: ProctorU or a Personal Proctor

IBF's issuer materials describe two proctoring routes: ProctorU (remote, live or recorded online proctoring) or an approved personal proctor. FINRA's listing characterizes the testing as closed-book and proctored, so plan to sit each exam without notes or reference material open.

If you choose ProctorU

• Verify your computer, webcam, and internet connection well before the day you intend to test.
• Prepare a quiet, clear workspace; remote proctoring typically involves an environment check.
• Have identification ready and allow buffer time before your slot.

If you choose a personal proctor

• The proctor generally must be approved before the exam, so build approval time into your schedule rather than arranging it the week you want to test.
• Confirm in advance what the proctor must attest to and how the exam is delivered to them.

Standard proctor fees are not verified in the reviewed sources, so confirm any proctoring charge directly with IBF before booking. Current rules on calculator use, adaptive behavior, navigation within the exam, and per-exam retake entitlement are likewise unverified; check them with IBF at the time you schedule rather than relying on third-party summaries.

Choosing Which Module to Sit First

Since the two exams map to the two modules, sequencing is a genuine strategic choice. The curriculum is organized as nine chapters in each of two modules, eighteen in total. Note that these are curriculum modules, not a verified weighted exam blueprint, so no module should be assumed to be "worth more."

For most candidates, sitting the Annuity Fundamentals exam first is the natural order: the Advanced Applications material (living benefits, FIA crediting methods, RILA buffers) builds on contract mechanics, surrender schedules, and taxation. A candidate who already works daily with indexed products and income riders might reverse this, but the safer default is fundamentals first. For a fuller walkthrough of both areas, see CAS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 2 Content Areas.

Fee Mechanics That Affect Your Timeline

Money and dates interact in this program because everything is bundled under one enrollment. What is verified:

The practical takeaway is to budget for the verified tuition and treat proctoring charges and annual dues as items to confirm directly with IBF. The full cost picture, including what is still unknown, is in CAS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and whether the spend makes sense for your situation is covered in Is the CAS Certification Worth It?

A Module-Based Calendar

Rather than a generic weekly template, here is a plan keyed to the two modules and the case study. Adjust the number of weeks to fit your experience; the sequencing logic is what matters. The 55-70 hour preparation estimate spread over roughly six to eight weeks works out to a manageable weekly load.

Our CAS Study Guide 2026 goes deeper on technique, and the CAS Cheat Sheet is useful for last-day review of the must-know facts before each proctored sitting.

After You Pass: The Two-Year CE Cycle

Scheduling does not end when the exams do. Maintaining the designation requires 30 CE hours every two years plus applicable IBF membership or status obligations. The annual dues amount and the fixed initial validity term are not verified in the sources we reviewed, so confirm both with IBF when you complete the program.

A simple habit helps: once you earn the designation, put a two-year CE deadline on your calendar immediately and work backward, rather than discovering the requirement late. For what the credential can lead to professionally, including the kinds of roles that value annuity expertise, see CAS Jobs and, for compensation context without invented figures, CAS Salary Guide 2026.

What Is Not Publicly Verified

Because other sites sometimes fill gaps with guesses, here is a plain list of what we cannot confirm for the Certified Annuity Specialist and therefore will not state:

• Exact question counts, scored/unscored splits, and per-exam duration
• Item format and numeric passing cutoffs for each exam
• Official pass rate (not publicly disclosed; see CAS Pass Rate 2026 for what the data does and does not show)
• Per-exam retake entitlement and current calculator or navigation rules
• Standard proctor fees and annual dues
• A weighted exam-domain blueprint or formal version year

Older descriptions of a six-module, three-exam structure do not reflect the current program, so disregard any source that uses them. When in doubt, the authoritative place to confirm scheduling details is IBF itself.

Frequently Asked Questions